Rebelliousness
by AzureSkye23
Summary: Next in The Bond Between Brothers universe, sequel to Freeing the Three. Sauron has one more plan to help those trying to stop Saruman from taking over Middle-earth, and it centers on Gandalf. However, it will take a bit of rebellion on Gandalf's part.


Sauron awoke lazily, stretched slightly, and yawned. This bed truly was incredibly comfortable, and was piled with thick blankets that made it even more so. He was warm and content, and he savored both sensations. However, a small part of his brain was nagging at him. There was something he was forgetting…

He absently stared at the light increasing out of his window as he thought. The sun was rising. Wait, it was morning? He had slept the night through without waking up from a nightmare? Perhaps it was a side effect of the shield Elrond and Galadriel had been able to place over the more damaged sections of his fëa last night. Or perhaps…

He looked the other way, to find Gandalf sleeping in an armchair beside his bed. He smiled. Or perhaps it was simply that he felt overwhelmingly safe in his older brother's presence.

His smile turned mischievous as he studied the sleeping wizard. It was morning, after all, and he did need to wake up… Sauron carefully maneuvered himself half-way out of the bed, bracing himself on the arms of the chair, until his face was just in front of Gandalf's.

"Olórin," he whispered softly. "Wake up."

To his credit, Gandalf didn't even flinch when he opened his eyes to find his little brother's face three inches from his own. Slightly disappointed, Sauron slid back into his bed, lying on his side as Gandalf stood and stretched.

"This form is hardly conducive to sleeping in armchairs," he grumbled, as his back popped.

"Is any form conducive to sleeping in armchairs?" Sauron asked mildly. Gandalf shot him a wry look.

"Cat, maybe," he mused.

"Why would you want to be a cat?" Sauron asked.

"You don't like cats?" Gandalf asked, a faint note of teasing in his voice.

"I like them," Sauron defended himself. "I simply wouldn't like to be one." Gandalf chuckled at that, then sat on the side of the bed, stroking Sauron's dark hair, making the younger maia smile happily.

"So I was thinking," Sauron finally said.

"You, thinking?" Gandalf interrupted him. "Ilúvatar help us all."

"Olórin!" Sauron protested. Gandalf laughed at that, and began to tickle his little brother. Laughing, Sauron squirmed away, and a playful fight ensued until Sauron managed to wrap his arms around Gandalf, pinning him in place.

"Not fair," Gandalf said gruffly, but with laughter in his voice as Sauron rested his chin on the wizard's shoulder.

"Hmph," Sauron said. "You started it. But _as I was saying_…" Gandalf laughed at the forceful tone in his voice.

"You remember how I said there were two things I felt I could do?" Sauron continued more seriously, letting Gandalf go and sitting back.

"Yes, I do," Gandalf said, turning to face him. "What was the second one?" Sauron flopped down on his pillows, a hesitant expression on his face.

"How rebellious are you?" he asked, instead of answering.

"Rebellion was more your thing, Mairon," Gandalf said lightly, but with a serious undertone.

"I know," Sauron said. "But I really doubt you can do much against Saruman still bound as you are. He will have undoubtedly used the Ring to undo his own." Gandalf sighed and nodded.

"But just what are you suggesting?" he asked. Sauron hesitated for a moment.

"I took a look at the bindings last night," he said finally, "and I think that I could lift them." Now it was Gandalf's turn to be silent for a long while.

"When I accepted the assignment to come to Middle-earth, I was forbidden to use my powers in direct conflict," he finally said slowly.

"Which is why I asked how rebellious you felt," Sauron pointed out. "I'm not suggesting you directly challenge Saruman; frankly, that would be foolish, considering how much the Ring will enhance his natural abilities. I simply don't like the idea of you being as vulnerable as you are at the moment. With your power and natural form unbound, you could at least escape if everything went wrong," he finished softly.

"I wouldn't leave you, Mairon," Gandalf said quietly.

"Olórin, if he wins, I will be his thrall, and there will be nothing that can be done unless the Valar send Eönwë with a host of Maiar to challenge him," Sauron said firmly. Gandalf said nothing to that, but pulled Sauron up off the bed and into his arms.

"Alright," the wizard finally sighed into Sauron's hair. "Are you sure you can lift them?"

"Fairly certain," Sauron replied. "They were not designed to be permanent, and were placed carefully, so I should be able to. Stay still." He pulled slightly out of Gandalf's hold, and placed his fingers on the wizard's temples. He stayed like that for several minutes.

"Um, Mairon?" Gandalf finally asked.

"Stay still," Sauron murmured.

"What are you doing?" Gandalf asked, ignoring what his brother had said.

"Making sure I understand how all of this works," Sauron replied, slightly impatiently. "I don't want to make a mistake. Now hold still!"

This time, Gandalf did as he was told, and it was a few minutes more before something deep inside of him snapped. A deluge of memories, sensations, knowledge, and power came flooding back to him, and he reeled slightly before catching himself. In his arms, Sauron swayed, nearly falling before Olórin tightened his grip.

"Did it work?" Sauron asked, tilting his head back up from where it had fallen. In response, Olórin shifted back to his usual incarnate form.

"Good," Sauron said, before resting his head back on his brother's shoulder.

"Tired?" Olórin asked in concern. Sauron nodded.

"It took a bit more energy than I was expecting," he admitted.

"Do you want to lay down?" Olórin asked. "Perhaps you should take a nap."

"Sleep sounds wonderful," Sauron admitted. "But as comfortable as that bed is…can we go out into the sunshine?" Olórin smiled at that.

"Of course we can, if you are capable of walking," Olórin said. His little brother was such a hedonist sometimes.

"I can walk," Sauron said without moving.

"I'm sure you can," Olórin said, slightly patronizingly, before shifting his grip to place an arm around Sauron's waist, before half-dragging him out of the room. Thankfully, the place Olórin had in mind wasn't far, because despite Sauron's claims to being ambulatory, the older maia was supporting nearly all of his weight, and providing all of the forward momentum.

Not far from the brother's rooms was a covered walkway with large, graceful, arched openings. The bottoms of these were thick and wide, designed for sitting. Or, at least, that's what the Twins and Aragorn had always claimed. Olórin had never seen a reason to dispute them. Now he settled with his back against one of the pillars, and pulled his little brother into his arms. Sauron was asleep almost before Olórin had him settled, something that made the older maia slightly concerned. Lifting the bindings probably had been a bit too much for the still recovering Sauron, not that he would ever admit that.

Olórin leaned his head back, letting the sound of the waterfall take him back to the past, when he and Mairon had lived in a small clearing beside one. He could almost believe he had his back against one of Yavanna's latest grown trees, something most of the Ainur had come to like rather swiftly. The only other idea of hers that had caught on more quickly was grass. Those had been good days, full of excitement as they had worked to prepare and create Arda, before Evil had begun to stalk his innocent little brother, darkening those brilliant eyes.

But beyond all hope, Olórin had his brother back in his arms. He could scarcely believe it wasn't a dream. He knew what Sauron believed his fate would be: either enslavement by Saruman if they lost, or a trial in Valinor that would end with him being sentenced to the Void if they won. Olórin, however, could not help hoping that the Valar would not take his brother from him again. Surely his help now could sway the decision in favor of mercy? Olórin unconsciously tightened his grip on his Sauron. He knew that his little brother was not yet completely lost, and didn't want to let him go.

_Oh, my Lord Manwë,_ he silently prayed._ If I have earned any reward for my long and faithful service, let it be this: let me save my brother._

* * *

**So before I get questions about the brothers' behavior in the beginning of this, I'm going to explain my reasoning. They *are* acting extremely young, younger than they usually do. They are acting in much the same way as they did the last time they were truly together, which was a long time ago. They know they are not the same anymore, and will have to come to face that, but they didn't want to at that time. Hence their behavior. **


End file.
